College Esports Teams: The 10 Best Varsity Programs

We're going to kick this list off by acknowledging the nation's first D1 (Division One) varsity esports program that's been put in place by Miami University. The teams that have been built within this institution have accrued some impressive accomplishments thus far - there are a bunch of first-place victories that have been attained by the varsity teams that compete in Overwatch, League of Legends, and Valorant. With the honor of being called the top varsity esports program by Best Colleges and having a Masters in Esports Management program put in place, Miami University's commitment to esports is palpable and comes highly recommended.

Maryville University lays claim to being acknowledged as the Esports Collegiate Program of the Year in 2021 and housing a League of Legends team that has won national championships in 2016, 2017, and 2019. The varsity program is great unto itself, plus the Community Club offers an equally competitive yet calmer environment for players that want to dive into CS: GO, Hearthstone, Rainbow Six Siege, and Rocket League. With notable esports personalities put in place for the coaching staff (we're talking Daniel Clerke, Andrew Smith, and Jordan Ousley), Maryville University's esports varsity program is top-notch and only growing stronger.

Choosing to make your college stay at Harrisburg University and focusing on a career in esports means you'll be treated to one of the finest varsity programs in the nation. Its Overwatch team has excelled in years past by winning the 2019 and 2020 Collegiate Championships, which points to HU Storm's competitive excellence. Pursuing a degree in the area of esports is attainable here, plus you'll be able to play in the major Harrisburg Esports Tournament should you qualify. The major pull of this university esports program is its promise to annually offer 22 varsity esports players full tuition scholarships along with a housing stipend. There's plenty of incentive there to join the HU Storm.

NOW SAY HELLO TO THE COMETS! The University of Texas at Dallas esports program is spread out among a bunch of teams that have performed in an impressive fashion across Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (claimed two championship titles), Rocket League (ranked #6 in the nation), and Overwatch (ranked #8 in the nation). As the 14th athletic team to be added to the Athletic Department at UT Dallas, this varsity esports program has proven to be a worthy add-on to the school's sports clubs. If you'd rather take part in the university's other esports programs, which include ones for content creators and broadcasting, then you can embrace those focuses if you'd like.

Now we're going to South Carolina for this next selection on our list of the best college esports teams. And this time, we're going to bring you up to speed on what Winthrop University has to offer. The varsity esports program houses top-performing teams (GO EAGLES!) that compete in League of Legends and Rocket League. Winthrop Esports won its first League of Legends College Championship in 2021, plus it claimed the Rocket League championship at the Collegiate Esports National Championship that same year. If you're looking to pursue a career in esports at a southern university, then Winthrop University is certainly worth a look.

For undergraduate and graduate students, pursuing a prominent placement among the many teams that play for Boise State University is a viable move if you're serious about esports. One of the more intriguing aspects of this program is its week-long online summer camp that caters to high schoolers (EsportsU). This session helps students get a leg-up on what they can expect from the varsity esports foundation from current athletes and industry professionals, which is a great program to take part in. On the competitive front, the Boise State University Broncos have won the 2022 NACE National Championships in Overwatch. Plus the esports program as a whole has been voted the best collegiate program of the year at the 2022 Tempest Awards.

Illinois State University's varsity esports teams play their hardest across a total of three games and make sure to represent their institution under the Redbird Esports umbrella. A bunch of additional games, such as Call of Duty and NBA 2K, are competed in within the program's assorted clubs as well. This pick is pretty monumental since Illinois State University is the first public institution in the state with a varsity esports team. And should you have an interest in game development, you can hop into the Game Design major and minor as its curriculum is being finalized for future inclusion.

At the University of Central Florida, its UCF Esports Program houses some of the best college esports teams that play across eight games at the highest level of competition. When it comes to accolades, those teams hold distinct honors such as the Overwatch team being ranked #1 and the Rocket League being ranked #3 in the nation. And in 2021, the Esports Club at UCF's Knights won its second National Title in Rocket League at first-ever NIRSA Esports Championships. Choosing to align yourself with any of the teams put in place here is certainly a good decision to consider if you're looking to go to UCF.

If you're willing to go even farther up north for your college education and take part in one of the best esports programs in Canada, then consider stepping through the doors of the University of Ottawa. 12 teams have been put in place here to compete among a wide variety of games, so you'll surely find your favorite title to compete in amongst those talented squads. casual and competitive gaming sessions are equally represented here as well, so you can take either approach to your esports career if you so choose.

Now if you're looking to join one of the best college esports teams while enjoying the warmer temperatures of California, then consider making your esports career flourish at the University of California, Berkeley. Since 2009, the Cal Esports program at this institution has been acquiring impressive wins across a wide variety of games. A total of 14 games are included in this program should you choose to come to this school and sign up for an annual or semester membership that lets you take full advantage of everything it has to offer.